The Truth about Vantage clutches!

[M4YBO]

PiloteAM said:

Holy crap, what were you doing to that poor clutch?

Kerb crawling. Expensive in more ways than one!!!!

Actually it was the bd who had it before me who must have done all the damage and sold it in a timely manner to the first mug that came along.

[stevewushu]

ahem... 59k miles and really should have had it done by now...
been way too lazy...? busy...?
no definitely lazy..

Going in within next couple of weeks...
1st is nearly always slipping now.

Hopefully be enough to get to the fixers!

[Omaruk]

I can't see this chaps clutch lasting very long ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykcey2Cu3Jw

[awg454]

I have had 4 V8s here's my experience

First one bought at 3 mths old 1st Clutch replaced at 8k under warranty this lasted about 500 miles and the plate broke up ! it was replaced again and I had no further problems

Second a roadster sport shift clutch replaced at 11k under warranty (I regularly did the clutch learn and not much reversing up hill )

Third sold at 59k still on original clutch

Fourth now at 48k still on original clutch

[stevewushu]

Omaruk said:

I can't see this chaps clutch lasting very long ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykcey2Cu3Jw

Ahhhhhh!

now i see why my clutch is on it's way out....

[Jon39]

awg454 said:

I have had 4 V8s here's my experience

First one bought at 3 mths old 1st Clutch replaced at 8k under warranty this lasted about 500 miles and the plate broke up ! it was replaced again and I had no further problems

Second a roadster sport shift clutch replaced at 11k under warranty (I regularly did the clutch learn and not much reversing up hill )

Third sold at 59k still on original clutch

Fourth now at 48k still on original clutch

As has been shown several times now on this thread, the clutches do last a long time, when treated carefully (or perhaps normally).

[mikey k]

Jon39 said:

awg454 said:

I have had 4 V8s here's my experience

First one bought at 3 mths old 1st Clutch replaced at 8k under warranty this lasted about 500 miles and the plate broke up ! it was replaced again and I had no further problems

Second a roadster sport shift clutch replaced at 11k under warranty (I regularly did the clutch learn and not much reversing up hill )

Third sold at 59k still on original clutch

Fourth now at 48k still on original clutch

As has been shown several times now on this thread, the clutches do last a long time, when treated carefully (or perhaps normally).

Although there do seem to be a fair few mechanical failures rather than wearing out

[mikey k]

Can we add any more experiences?

[Beoon]

Any chance once this post is complete you could start a new poll for paintwork issues?
I visited an AM Approved bodyshop yesterday to get an estimate for submission the customer services at Gaydon.
The assessor from the body shop pointed out numerous paintwork issues on my car.
Frankly I was embarrassed
2007 V8 Vantage Roadster FSH 16K miles

[drmw]

+1 ^

[bogie]

+2 I have paint bubbling on my 2006 car too ...most panels somewhere

long out of warranty and its not corrosion so not covered under that either

[Beoon]

Mikey K

You could start the new paintwork bubble poll with this extract from the Aston Martin 2013 brochure.
This is a direct quote from the foreword by Dr Bez

"our pursuit of perfection and our obsession with perfect panel fit and flawless paint finish"

Have a look yourself

https://astonmartin.blob.core.windows.net/sitefini...

The last time someone made a statement that was incorrect as this was probably Neville Chamberlain who after returning from a meeting with Hitler in Sep 1938 said

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour.
I believe it is peace for our time...
Go home and get a nice quiet sleep."

[steveatesh]

Ah but doesn't it say they are just pursuing it and are not making a claim to have actually achieved it yet?

[mikey k]

Beoon said:

Mikey K

You could start the new paintwork bubble poll with this extract from the Aston Martin 2013 brochure.
This is a direct quote from the foreword by Dr Bez

"our pursuit of perfection and our obsession with perfect panel fit and flawless paint finish"

Have a look yourself

https://astonmartin.blob.core.windows.net/sitefini...

The last time someone made a statement that was incorrect as this was probably Neville Chamberlain who after returning from a meeting with Hitler in Sep 1938 said

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour.
I believe it is peace for our time...
Go home and get a nice quiet sleep."

I'll sort something a bit later watch F1 ATM

[Curlyapplehead]

Now this is clutch abuse!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpIHEP-SYfE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r3OvecUgUI

[JimmyWill]

One question - and I hope not straying too far off topic. But I just purchased an 09 V8V Vert and the dealer advised the clutch was recently serviced. What would that mean? It doesn't sound to me as though it was replaced - just looked at and given the ole 2 thumbs up!?

[bogie]

JimmyWill said:

One question - and I hope not straying too far off topic. But I just purchased an 09 V8V Vert and the dealer advised the clutch was recently serviced. What would that mean? It doesn't sound to me as though it was replaced - just looked at and given the ole 2 thumbs up!?

no idea, never heard of it being serviceable in any way other than replacing...perhaps they mean "inspected during a service" and that it had plenty of life left in it.....

[Jay_Davis]

They can't inspect it without opening it open, which would not be something they would do unless there was something wrong. So the only "serviced" is "replaced".

[mikey k]

bogie said:

JimmyWill said:

One question - and I hope not straying too far off topic. But I just purchased an 09 V8V Vert and the dealer advised the clutch was recently serviced. What would that mean? It doesn't sound to me as though it was replaced - just looked at and given the ole 2 thumbs up!?

no idea, never heard of it being serviceable in any way other than replacing...perhaps they mean "inspected during a service" and that it had plenty of life left in it.....

We do something similar with our business = "inspection services" akin to the prewarranty inspection service AM do
It is possible to estimate clutch wear with the AM diagnostics system apparently

[Neil1300R]

mikey k said:

We do something similar with our business = "inspection services" akin to the prewarranty inspection service AM do
It is possible to estimate clutch wear with the AM diagnostics system apparently

Interesting - I specifically asked HWM at last year's service to estimate clutch wear. Was told it can't be done without dropping the gearbox.